It’s only natural for faithful mothers to ponder their lives. What is the Lord expecting of us? How do we fulfill our Christian calling to evangelize to the “ends of the earth” when we might not get out of the house as often as we’d like? Sometimes the feeling of sheer monotony in our daily routine causes us to feel a lack of newness. And, further, we might lament that it would appear that nothing at all noteworthy is happening in our lives.

We are able to change some things and some we simply cannot. Yet, truth be told, it’s in those very ordinary daily moments in which we are immersed as mothers where transformation indeed occurs.

Hearts are changed as we mature in our faith, as we continue to teach our families in the truth by our word and example, and as we work out our salvation together in the blessedness of the family — right in those seemingly ordinary daily moments — through thick and thin.

Perhaps if we mothers could endeavor to see the bigger picture, we would feel more content during those nitty-gritty details of our lives when we are serving our family members — challenges and all. Sure, many times we might not be appreciated (within our homes and outside) for our efforts to raise our children on the straight and narrow. We’re not exactly getting a pat on the back from our society, are we? As well, there are those who just don’t understand our commitment to care for not only their externals, but also and perhaps more importantly the spiritual welfare of our families.

Our Lord knows what we are all about. He sees every bead of sweat on our brows and knows all about our sleepless nights when we are up feeding our infants, caring for sick children, or waiting for our older ones to come home. Our reward will be great in Heaven.

Let’s keep our eyes on the prize and offer every bit of our prayers, works, joys and sufferings to he who gives us life! What more do we need? If we are wondering how our personal “Yes” to God in welcoming life and raising our families can have much of an impact on our world, let’s consider for a moment Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, whom I was very fortunate to know personally.

She preached the gospel by doing — by living it. She seldom preached to the masses, only when asked to address a gathering; she then spoke God’s words and inspired others to also do the Lord’s work.

One person at a time

Fueled with the sacraments and prayer, the majority of Mother Teresa’s preaching was within her ministry of wholehearted service to the poorest of the poor — to one person at a time, she preached Christ’s message — through her loving hands and her selfless heart — during what would seem like ordinary moments. She didn’t shout the Gospel from the rooftops, but rather shared it from her heart to each person she met — each one God put within her reach. Blessed Teresa’s approach of lovingly ministering to one person at a time made its way all around our globe. Amazing transformation occurred with God’s grace.

Mother Teresa’s “Yes” was powerful. She has touched countless people directly and indirectly. Her life was an utter living testament to the Gospel. And, this is just as a mother’s life should be as well. A mother’s personal “Yes” to God is very powerful too. We preach Christ’s message of love and forgiveness through our loving hands to the people we encounter — one-by-one, heart-by-heart.

We further the Kingdom of God in the heart of our homes — with every diaper change, every hug to our family members, every meal prepared, every squabble resolved and every lesson of faith lovingly taught to our children, fostered through our words and, very importantly, our loving example.

God is counting on us to evangelize with love in our domestic churches. After all, as Mother Teresa was famous for saying, “Love begins at home.” We must strive to find “Calcutta” in our midst.

So, what will unfold in our lives? God only knows for sure, but we can start heading in the right direction by surrendering our lives more fully to God each day and allowing him to work changes through us in our families and beyond to draw countless souls to Heaven.

Let’s preach the Gospel by doing — by living it — one-by-one, heart-by-heart in our domestic churches!

Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle is the EWTN TV Host of “Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms” and “Catholic Mom’s Cafe,” a speaker and author of numerous books including: Catholic Mom’s Café: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year. Learn more: www.donnacooperoboyle.com.